Cricket: Tourists told to pull socks up

By MARK GEENTY

NOTTINGHAM - New Zealand coach John Bracewell has laid it on captain Stephen Fleming to haul the team up tonight from their gloom against England.

Bracewell and Fleming have the unenviable task of motivating the side after the nine-wicket loss at Headingley left the tourists 2-0 down in the series with one test to play.

A batsman's paradise, the Trent Bridge pitch will only add to New Zealand's toil as they chase an unlikely win to farewell star allrounder Chris Cairns from test cricket.

Despite a likely changed New Zealand side, with paceman James Franklin set for a test recall, Bracewell insisted all was well in the camp.

"It's certainly no motivational problem for Stephen and I, and we're actually fired up about it," Bracewell said.

"We've had our 12-hour sulk which anyone who loses a series is entitled to. It hurts, and it hurts deep, but we also realise that you've got to bounce back from that.

"We are responsible for leading the side, and part of that is in our body language and our own behaviour. We've had our reflection time and it's back to work today.

"The England side gave us a working over and we have to bounce back from that against sides who are growing in their ruthlessness."

Fleming has had an unhappy series, but was let down by his bowlers at Headingley and looked annoyed in the field.

There are several motivating factors here: to avoid a humiliating series whitewash, Cairns' final test, and winning an elusive test in England, which New Zealand sides have done just four times from 46 attempts.

Franklin played a big part at training yesterday at the Trent Bridge ground, one of England's most appealing venues, on the banks of the River Trent in the shadow of Nottingham Forest's soccer headquarters.

With Daniel Vettori in serious doubt, but still not ruled out, with a pulled hamstring, the balance of the bowling is crucial.

In the absence of a spinner, Franklin would at least provide some variation with his left-arm inswing.

At 23, Franklin played just two tests during Pakistan's tour three years ago, but had a solid season for Wellington and would have been in the original squad here if Cairns had retired as he had planned after the South Africa series.

Bracewell admitted that Daryl Tuffey was struggling with his confidence and release of the ball, which has served him so well in the past year.

Chris Martin, meanwhile, who was excused from training, looked in better shape.

"Chris has earned a rest. Both hamstrings have cramped up. His ability to strike is still there, but it's only there if the bowling attack supports that.

"That's why he had such good success in the home series, because Jacob [Oram] and Daryl were both only going at two an over.

"We've gone away from the basics in our bowling ... we're not a side that goes for fours and fives. If we are, it exposes our sameness and shows how much you miss somebody like Shane Bond."

Bracewell wanted his bowlers to "hunt as a pack" and restrict the free-scoring England batsmen, who start with in-form openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss.

Oram revealed a tiny fracture of his right little finger, but was cleared to play a full part after not bowling at Headingley.

He was hit by paceman Stephen Harmison on the final day at Headingley, but did not suffer a serious break as did Michael Papps, who was ruled out yesterday.

Another with a cracked digit, Craig McMillan, batted without discomfort and was likely to replace Papps, with Mathew Sinclair in reserve.

England have won five of their last six tests and look likely to field an unchanged side, although lively paceman James Anderson is in the 12 and will be pushing for inclusion.

Teams

New Zealand From: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Chris Cairns, James Franklin, Daniel Vettori, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Mathew Sinclair, Daryl Tuffey.

England From: Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Martin Saggers, Stephen Harmison, James Anderson.

- NZPA